New Delhi, May 22: Akshay Kumar’s donation to a government school in the remote Gurez Valley region of Jammu and Kashmir has brought a major change to the lives of children studying there.
Government Middle School Nero Tulail, located in the border area of Bandipora district, now has a newly constructed school block after the actor contributed Rs 1 crore towards improving the institution in 2021.
The new building, named the Shri Hari Om Bhatia Education Block in memory of Akshay Kumar’s late father, has significantly upgraded the school’s infrastructure and created a better learning environment for students living in the far-flung village near the Line of Control.
The newly built block includes classrooms, a computer laboratory, a library and office space for teachers. Students are also benefiting from improved arrangements under the government’s Midday Meal Scheme, with cleaner and more organised facilities now available within the school premises.
According to locals, Akshay Kumar had visited the Gurez Valley in 2021 after being invited by the Border Security Force to meet jawans stationed in the frontier region.
During his visit to Tulail village in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district, the actor interacted with school children and residents and reportedly decided to support the school after witnessing the educational difficulties faced by students there.
During the same visit, Akshay Kumar also spent time with Border Security Force personnel posted near the border. He was seen interacting with jawans, posing for photographs and even dancing with them. The actor also paid tribute to soldiers who lost their lives in the line of duty by laying a wreath at a war memorial in the region.
After returning from the visit, Akshay Kumar had shared on social media that spending time with Border Security Force personnel guarding the country’s borders had been a memorable and humbling experience for him.
Now, with the construction work completed, students are studying in a much-improved academic environment. Residents of the area and schoolchildren have expressed happiness over the new facilities, saying the upgraded infrastructure has made a visible difference to the schooling experience in the remote border village.
For many families living in the region, the new school block represents more than just better classrooms. Locals believe the improved facilities will help create stronger educational opportunities for children growing up in one of the country’s most isolated areas.
With the new infrastructure now fully operational, the school is expected to support better teaching, learning and day-to-day educational activities for years to come.–(Agencies)
